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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247706">Let's Be Alone Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LERDM/pseuds/LERDM'>LERDM</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Batman Shorts [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Batfamily, Emotional Strength is a Character Trait Fight Me, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, No Beta, Romance, Strong Female Characters, We Live Like We Die - Unedited</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:34:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LERDM/pseuds/LERDM</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason starts off in a bush, ready to die or be arrested. Alice starts off painfully alone and desperately wanting to help the city that made her. They figure it out.</p><p>Watch on as they grow together and as the Batfamily begins to suspect that there is something going on in Jason's life that they don't know.</p><p>P.S. This is a standalone story, don't be turned off by the series tag!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfred Pennyworth &amp; Jason Todd, Dick Grayson &amp; Jason Todd, Jason Todd &amp; Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd &amp; Damian Wayne, Jason Todd/Original Female Character(s), Roy Harper &amp; Koriand'r &amp; Jason Todd, Tim Drake &amp; Jason Todd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Batman Shorts [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1760062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>131</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alice had left Gotham General after a long day. There had been some explosion by the docks, so there were about two dozen Black Mask thugs that she had to treat for burns and pull shrapnel out of. It was late, she was supposed to have gotten off her shift in the ER Alice had left Gotham General after a long day. There had been some explosion by the docks, so there were about two dozen Black Mask thugs that she had to treat for burns and pull shrapnel out of. It was late, she was supposed to have gotten off her shift in the ER while it was still light out. This was one of the rare times that she had been working a day shift instead of the night shift.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Regardless, she had walked instead of driven. She was regretting that now. It was about 1 in the morning, and definitely not the time you want to be walking through Gotham alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t get far before she found trouble. She actually got about three feet from the door when she saw someone passed out in the bushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked over to them hesitantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir? Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...m fine, I’m fine,” the man slurred. He lifted his head up and she immediately recognized him. It was the Red Hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um… no offense Mr… Hood, but you really don’t look fine. Come into the ER, I can take a look at you,” Alice said. She wasn’t sure why she was saying this, but his helmet was cracked, some pieces were missing, and she could see one of his eyes. He looked scared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… I can’t… no hospitals…” He mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice took a breath. “I’m a doctor, I can… I could bring you in through the back, no one would see you. You need help… you’re bleeding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can barely walk…” the man confessed with a raspy tone. “I won’t be able to sneak around a hospital.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… then we go through the main entrance. I’ll say you’ve threatened me, and no one will bother us that way, they might call the police, but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could handle the police,” he sounded confident despite the fact that he had just confessed that he could barely walk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay… I’m just gonna help you up,” she warned as she approached him. She managed to take just enough of his weight. “I’m sorry, I know this hurts,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” he grunted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just come this way, the less people that see you, the better.” Alice led him into the administrative area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Harrison, uh… what’s-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, it’s fine, don’t call the police, I’ll be in room 4, okay? Don’t say anything about this, please, Carrie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna come check in on you in 20 minutes, and if you don’t respond I’m calling the police…” Carrie, the receptionist said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Carrie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice helped her patient to the private room where she shut the doors and closed all the blinds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She helped the Red Hood sit on the gurney.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His leg was bleeding sluggishly and she was concerned about head trauma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume you’ve had a concussion before?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, well, if you’re feeling okay, I’ll skip the head CT, so you can keep your mask on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red Hood looked at her with an unreadable expression and removed his helmet. He still had the domino mask underneath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get caught in the explosion at the docks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her with a great deal of surprise. “How do you know about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just had about 20 guys come through here with burns and shrapnel injuries, they all told me that the Red Hood blew up a bunch of Black Mask’s cocaine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was going to sell it to kids,” Red Hood spoke gruffly and defensively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no, I’m not judging. Good for you, I say. No one else was going to do anything about it, so who are the rest of us to judge how you do your thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red Hood blinked. “A lot of people don’t see it that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice shrugged. She took scissors and cut open his pants leg. There were several pieces of shrapnel stuck in there. She looked carefully and then looked back up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you allergic to anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I can’t do anything on this leg without giving you some sort of anesthesia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No drugs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, nevermind, you are actually insane.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just… no drugs, please. I have a high pain tolerance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice looked at him. “I’m sorry about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” It was Red Hood’s turn to be confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a high pain tolerance because you’ve been hurt so many times, that’s terrible. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need your pity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s my sympathy, and too late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at her, “No drugs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared back. “What about some local anesthetics?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Red Hood contemplated. “Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. There was a knock at the door, Carrie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Harrison, is everything okay in there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything’s fine Carrie, really. I promise, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause, then she muttered something that sounded like “you have a deathwish, but yep, everything’s fine” then they heard her steps as she walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s not going to call the police?” Hood asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, she’s… how do I put it? Stealing drugs from the hospital-” She watched as his eyes widened in alarm. “Not to sell them or anything, she gives them to the sick people in her building that can’t afford them. But she doesn’t want police here looking into things so… yeah, she’s not going to call them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded slightly and then watched her as she prepared her tools and brought a surgical tray to his bedside. She had a few small needles which she carefully injected around the more shredded areas of his leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it hurts too much… say something, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded and she wasn’t reassured, but she started anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It did hurt, but to Alice’s credit, she had steady hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pulling a particularly difficult piece out, and she could feel him tense under her hand, so she took her free hand and squeezed his gloved one. He was a little taken aback by that at first, but she squeezed back when the piece finally came out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do the stitches myself,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you can, but I have nowhere to be tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she took her time, making perfect stitches, making sure that she wouldn’t leave any more scars on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, this is usually the part where I tell my patients to come back a week from now so I can make sure everything’s alright, but I have a feeling you won’t do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, probably not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at his broken helmet, which he was holding in his hands. “Lucky you wear that, probably saved your life tonight. Shame it hides your eyes though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked… shocked, though Alice couldn’t imagine why, he must get compliments on them all the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… thanks.” He tried to take a few steps, but faltered. She helped him steady himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me get you some crutches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, I’ll be okay once I get outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she helped him get outside the hospital and watched as he grappled off into the night. She figured that that would be the last time she saw the Red Hood.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So... we meet again.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>About two weeks later, it was three in the morning on a Tuesday night. The ER was dead. So Alice jumped at the opportunity to do something when someone walked into the ER.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a young man, probably about the same age as Alice. He looked pale and sounded like he was having trouble breathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was shown to a bed by the nurse and she came up to him. “Hi Mr… Peters. I’m Doctor Harrison and-” She stopped as she noticed his eyes. “And I’ll be helping you out today. What seems to be the problem?” His eyes. His bright green eyes. The Red Hood’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t been feeling very well, got a fever and a bad cough and it’s interfering with my work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice tried to keep a neutral face at that. “Right of course, well, um, let me just-” she drew the curtain closed around them. “I’m just going to reach under your shirt and listen to your breath.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did, and there didn’t seem to be any fluid in his lungs, but he definitely had a bad chest cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, yeah, I’m just gonna get you some medicine, it should help you with the coughing and the fever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded and she scurried to the pharmacy. It was a little unusual, but she did this all the time, and no one in Gotham ever really followed proper protocol. The pharmacist sighed and gave her the pills as soon as he was done preparing them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, the patient should really be getting this themselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, whatever Dave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dave rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She went back to the bed and handed him the bottle and his prescription. “There’s enough for a week, and if it keeps going on like this, then you have one refill on the prescription.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” He moved like he was going to get up and leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Mr. Peters, can I just check something else quickly while you’re here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her with confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just… you never came back so I could check your leg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He froze and Alice wasn’t sure if she had done the best thing. She had definitely freaked him out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What,” he growled in a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, it’s hard with shrapnel, to know if you got every piece out or not without doing an ultrasound afterwards. If any gets left in there it can really suck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hood just stared at her and she looked back. “How… how could you have known it was me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your eyes. I’ve never seen green eyes like yours. I wouldn’t have forgotten.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fidgeted on the bed. “You didn’t miss any pieces.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, good. Did you take the stitches out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it’s fine, almost healed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minimal scarring I hope?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, not that it matters, but yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well of course it matters,” Alice scoffed. There was a pause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You realize that I can’t just…” Jason sighed. “You knowing this is dangerous, for me, for you, for the other vigilantes in Gotham.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice took a breath, “I’m picking up on that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason gritted his teeth. “When do you get off your shift?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About an hour, if nothing big comes in,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I’ll be waiting outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got up and stalked off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason spent the next hour pacing by his motorcycle. He was such an idiot. How could he have let this happen? And after all the strife everyone gives Dick about being too obvious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t tell the family. As much as he hated to admit it, disappointing Bruce was becoming annoyingly difficult for him to do with a stone face these days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After just over an hour, Alice came out of the hospital and paused at his motorbike. He held out a helmet to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are we going?” Alice asked, taking the helmet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was surprised at her willingness to go with him, but tried not to let it show. “To eat, I’m starving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice got on the back of his bike and hugged him tightly. He raced through the streets, and it was honestly a miracle that they didn’t get pulled over for numerous traffic violations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled up in front of a Vietnamese place that didn’t look particularly sanitary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked inside, and the old woman in charge seemed to recognize Jason right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Peter, welcome back. For you, fresh soup on the house,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled and thanked her as he led Alice to a table in the corner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lost the smile and stared at the woman in front of her. “How do I know that I can trust you with this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, for starters, I don’t have anyone to tell,” Alice told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People find a way,” Jason retorted with narrowed eyes. “I need something on you, something that guarantees that you will never use my information against me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re asking me to give you blackmail on myself?” Alice asked with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, because the alternative is going to be much worse for you,” Jason nearly growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice thought about that for a moment, “What sort of information would you even be looking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something criminal that’s never been brought to light, a scandal that will destroy your life,” Jason proposed. “A drug addiction, cheating through medical school, sleeping with your profes-” Jason didn’t get through the last one before she slapped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face, which hadn’t seemed capable of displaying a negative emotion before that moment was now not angry or furious like he expected it to be, just sad, sad and disappointed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I earned everything I have. You can dig all you want, I’ve done things for the right reasons, even when it was harder than cheating or making a bad choice,” she said. Her voice was slightly shaky, and her eyes were teary, but Jason could tell she wasn’t lying. That made this a lot harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about your friend at the hospital, the one that’s-” he stopped suddenly as the old woman appeared again with several different plates of food for them. Jason thanked her in a language that Alice didn’t understand and then she left. “-the one that’s stealing drugs from the hospital. What if I told you that telling anyone would result in me exposing her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice narrowed her eyes, “I don’t know why you’re so taken with the idea that I’m going to tell anyone. I wouldn’t do that for a number of reasons. First of all, because you’re a good person and you do good things. I’d hate to take away someone from the city who’s been helping. Second of all, doctor-patient confidentiality. I took an oath and I take that seriously.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason levelled his gaze at her, “And you just expect me to think I’ve found the only person in Gotham who wouldn’t leverage this to get some sort of personal gain from it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, because I’m not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason didn’t reply, instead electing to eat some of the food that was laid out in front of him. He dug in indiscriminately, while Alice was far more picky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jason was done, he looked back up at her, “I don’t believe anyone gets through life in Gotham without getting their hands at least a little dirty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never said mine were clean, but I don’t hide anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at her for a moment. She was so genuine it was almost painful to look at her. She hadn’t lied to him, not once. She wasn’t afraid of what he could do to her. It had been a long time since someone had looked at him completely devoid of anger or fear or regret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about a deal? I’m a doctor, I’m a really good doctor. You’re someone who gets hurt a lot. I can help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, and I’m just supposed to think that this isn’t some sort of ploy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it really so hard to believe that I think you’re worth helping?” She asked. Jason froze and stared at her. “I don’t know you, I’m not going to pretend I do, but I do know what you do. Sure, I have to pull bullets out of gangsters legs all night, I have to treat hundreds of shrapnel wounds a week, but I would rather do that all the nights for the rest of my life, than tell someone that their kid died under my hands because of some freak that’s gotten out of jail for the hundredth time, because no one did anything. You do something. You fix the problems that no one else wants to fix. So yeah, I want to help, and no, this isn’t some awful plan or plot or scheme. This is just me, trying to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason took a breath and nodded slowly. He was about to say something when his stomach twisted painfully. He paused for a second and then carried on. “That was some speech.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, when everything is as dark as it is here, you learn to give good pep talks,” she said with a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, so say I take your deal, where do I go? Because I can’t be coming in and out of hospitals, people will put that together right away, and you’ll be in danger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come to my apartment, we can walk there from here, it’s not far. I have a lot of equipment there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded. He paid, and then they left. They walked to Alice’s apartment in relative silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She unlocked the door and Jason blinked at her lack of security. “I’m going to need to install a better system if I’m even going to consider coming here in a compromised state,” he told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded, “Okay, do what you like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked around, he declined her offer of tea. Usually he would have said yes, but his stomach was feeling unsettled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice then gave him a small tour. The place was already set up nearly perfectly. She had a stainless steel table in the kitchen-dining room area and she had a room full of old medical supplies that the hospital was just going to throw away when they had gotten new ones because of the new Wayne Foundation grant they had received.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had an ultrasound machine, portable x-ray, a proper heart monitor, even an old brainwave scanner. On top of that was all the gauze and needles and stitching equipment she had gathered over the years. So Jason was feeling a bit better about all this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he started to feel not so good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Jason? You look like you’re burning up. Is it your chest or do you think it has more to do with eating at a restaurant that should probably be condemned?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The second one probably,” he rasped. “Where’s your bathroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She led him to the room and he shut the door. She heard the sounds of violent vomiting not long after. She went and got a glass of water and some advil and gently opened the door. She put the objects on the counter and knelt beside the man that was looking flushed and slightly delirious and in a bit of pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She brushed his sweaty hair out of his face and handed him the pills and the water, “You’ll probably just throw these back up, but they might stay down long enough to make you feel a bit better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded and took the pills with a swig of water. Not two minutes later was he back to the toilet bowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat by his side for a long time, until it seemed the worst of it had passed, and she set him up on the couch with a trash can beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this?” He asked as she literally tucked him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to think that someone would do it for me.” She stood. “And you seem like you suffer alone too much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Jason fell into a relaxed sleep, only waking up once or twice in the night to be sick. Each time he did though, he felt her crouch beside him and squeeze his shoulder or get him water. After the last time, he was pretty sure he’d made a good decision.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice learns a difficult truth and Jason opens up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jason ended up staying with Alice for another two days, until all feelings of nausea were firmly in the past. She was delighted that he was such a good cook and said so constantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason wasn’t sure what to make of Alice Harrison at first. She was too kind, too open. People can’t live like that in Gotham, they get destroyed. So he was a little protective, over the one person who this place hadn’t ruined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he left the third day, he almost didn’t want to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only a day later that he returned with the equipment for a proper security system.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was almost done when she got home from work. “Hey, you don’t have to work all night you know. Why don’t you crash my couch and finish in the morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason didn’t look away from the wires he was twisting together. “You just want me to make you breakfast, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed from behind him and he found himself smiling a little. “Guilty,” she admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason stood and brushed off his hands on his pants. “Yeah, actually, I probably should. No one can come or go until I’m done anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, well, want some hot chocolate?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Jason replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made it on the stove, just like Alfred did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat down beside him at the kitchen island. “So… how long have you been doing all of this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason took a sip, “For a lot longer than I should have been. I started when I was 12. I was a lot stupider back then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was silent for a moment, “Nothing stupid about wanting to help people. You were a kid, though, it shouldn’t have been up to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason swallowed another sip and attempted to change the subject. “How are you the head of the ER? You’re, what? 20?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“21,” Alice said. “I graduated high school when I was 16, and I got accepted into med school after a year of university. It was only a three-year program, so I graduated when I was 20, and then I was only six months into my residency when Scarecrow attacked and killed the head doctor, so I petitioned to be advanced into the position.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded, “So you’re smart enough to know you should be living in a nicer part of town then,” he said with a half-smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smirked a little back, “I think you and I both know that you don’t just… walk away from Crime Alley.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were an alley kid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, grew up just a couple streets down from here. I never thought I would come back, but then… I don’t know, I just had to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded. “I… left, for a while, I know that feeling. You think you have unfinished business, but… you can’t help thinking that you shouldn’t have come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” she said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed a bunch of pillows and a blanket and put them on the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I haven’t gone out and gotten another bed yet, if you aren’t doing anything tomorrow, want to come to Ikea with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason almost laughed, but he realized she was serious. “I… sure. Never been to Ikea before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice's eyes widened, “Oh, you’ll love it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was a little unsettled going out in public like that. He was paranoid at the grocery store, let alone an Ikea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Alice led him through all the rows and she was just so happy with all the little things. It was honestly the cutest thing Jason had ever seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She held up a whisk that was an egg-shaped penguin and grinned at him. “I need this in my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re ridiculous,” he commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked ahead of him, and all Jason could think of was that he wanted her to turn around so he could see her dopey smile again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They finally made their way to the bedroom furniture and they were approached by a salesperson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, are you two looking for anything specific?” They asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really, just something comfortable, not too low to the ground,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, well, this is the Kloftgarbeeen, it’s a favourite among couples because it’s got storage underneath.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice blushed right away, Jason was trained enough to not let reactions like that show on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay… um, yeah, that looks…” she glanced to Jason for confirmation. He nodded. “Looks good to us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, this is the shelving info.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So they walked down through the rest of the store and into the warehouse. Jason was shocked. It had looked like a big building from the outside, but honestly, they must have entered into some sort of pocket dimension because it was just too big.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice found their shelf, and then looked up at the box that was just above her reach. Jason watched, holding back laughter as she tried in vain to grab it. He couldn’t help but let a small snort escape his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whipped around and pouted, but she was holding back laughter too. “I’m so close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can see that,” he said smugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her shoulders were shaking and she was biting her lip to stop from laughing, “Please, help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled and easily lifted the box. “Lead the way, Ali.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at him with surprise, he hadn’t actually called her by her first name before this. She smiled though, it meant he was getting more comfortable with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as they had gotten through the checkout, and Jason thought the day was done, Alice led them to an area with tables and got them ice cream and meatballs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the strangest place I have ever been,” Jason commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I absolutely cannot believe that,” Alice said with half a meatball in her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head, “No, really, it is. That’s a fact.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice just laughed a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>About half an hour later, they finally left the store and returned to Alice’s apartment. Jason showed her how to get through the new security. Then he helped her assemble the bed, which was extremely efficient, they both knew how important it was to follow instructions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then they set up the mattress that they had gotten, it came rolled up in a box and Alice seemed fascinated with how it slowly rose once it was laid out on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason naturally started making dinner, it was part of his routine now, he almost didn’t realize that he hadn’t said he was staying, nor had she offered, yet it just seemed like it was something he did now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So they ate, and then she started getting ready for work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want a ride?” Jason offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, unless you’re going to pick me up, I don’t think-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can pick you up once I’m done patrolling. I was planning on bringing some backup equipment here if you don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not at all. And thanks, finding parking is a bitch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your car looks like it’s about to fall apart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice faked a look of offense. “How dare you, my car is an angel and will never break down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason rolled his eyes at her and she just laughed. So he took her to work, and he went on patrol. He was a little off his game, he was thinking about the situation he had just gotten himself into with this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, of course, Nightwing swooped in. Jason nearly growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want, Big Bird?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just wanted to know if you knew anything about why lil’ D is on a warpath today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck would I know anything about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, I figured I’d try you because no one else seemed to know anything either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick stared at Jason, and Jason could have withstood the puppy eyes if he had wanted to be followed around by Dick all night, but he had to go pick up Alice, and he didn’t want the others to know about her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason sighed. “I’ve heard that Talia’s coming to Metropolis. I bet he’s either trying to impress her, or prove to Bruce that he shouldn’t give him back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bruce wouldn’t-” He stopped at Jason’s look. “Yeah, okay, I need to have a couple of discussions. Thanks for the intel Hood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get used to it, Wingding!” Jason called as Nightwing grappled away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabbed his duffle bag that he had taken from one of his safehouses and dropped it off at Alice’s apartment and got changed into civilian clothes and then went to pick her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She seemed smaller when he did. Jason didn’t say anything right away, but he followed her up to the apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice shrugged smally. She curled up in the circular armchair she had in the living room. “What’s your name? Your real, full, name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason tensed. “Why do you need to know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice sniffled, “Because today a kid was brought in. He was young, maybe 7 or 8. He was in a lot of pain and he was bleeding. He was still conscious though, because he was a fighter, I could tell. I asked him his name and he said Ryan, I asked him his last name and he didn’t answer because he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She was crying now, and Jason didn’t know what to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Half the people that come into my ER are already dead, and I have to call their families, or talk to their loved ones and tell them what happened. But I might be the only person who knows Ryan’s name. I might be the only person who knows what happened to him. I can’t stand the thought that there might be someone out there who’s going to look for him. Who’s going to see him in the faces of strangers walking past them on the street, because they don’t know what-” Eventually she choked on her tears and Jason walked over to her and hugged her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sobbed into his shoulder for a long time. When she stopped, Jason didn’t let her go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is complicated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really don’t have to tell me, I’m sorry, I just had a bad day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you’re right. I have a family, and they would never stop looking, and that’s not fair to them or to you.” He pulled away. “My name is Jason Peter Todd-Wayne.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice paused for a second, and then her eyes widened. “I thought-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a really long story, and I’ll tell it to you, but before I do, you should know that if I tell you, you’re going to be entangled in this forever. No one gets out clean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded, “That’s okay, something tells me I won’t be wanting to get out anyway.” Jason almost blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Jason started the story as they sat on the living room floor of a place that was just beginning to feel like home for the both of them.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jason gets hurt, Alfred worries.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alice listened as Jason recounted his horror-story of a life to her. The whole time she held his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the end, he was shaking a little, and Alice leaned into him. “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t do any of those things,” Jason pointed out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Alice paused. “I know it sucks, everything that happened after you came back, but, if it means anything, I’m happy you’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason’s mounting headache melted away. No one had ever said that to him before. It seemed odd, sure. What kind of family wouldn’t tell their thought-dead member that they were glad he was alive, but then again, Jason had come back with a literal bang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he croaked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat on her floor for a little while longer, Jason was just about to say that it was probably time the both of them got some sleep when he realized she was already asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had literally fallen asleep on him. She trusted him that much. He looked down at her and sighed. He was in so much trouble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He carried her to her bed and pulled the covers up before going to the bed they had just assembled earlier that day and passed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was used to Jason just coming back to the apartment. It had been about three months since they met and it was probably fair to say that he mostly just lived there now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Alice wasn’t surprised when she came home from work at 4am to see him there, she was surprised when he looked like someone had hit him with a car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jason, oh my god, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason didn’t answer right away, “I’m… not really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was in doctor mode right away. She was by his side, “Can you walk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded smally. She helped him hobble over to the makeshift medical area in the spare bedroom. He laid on the bed and winced as she turned on the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was helping the others with Black Mask and there was an explosion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After listening to Jason’s backstory, she knew that explosions of any size were a bad trigger for his obvious PTSD. She took his hand, “I got you, you’re going to be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. “I trust you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She got to work, stripping off most of his suit down to his underwear. Then she started the age-old debate with Jason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not drugging you to violate you or steal your innocence or get you addicted, I’m doing it so that you aren’t in an enormous amount of pain,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, no drugs. Please, Alice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stared down each other and then Alice gritted her teeth, “Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She injected local anesthetics and then started removing the small bits of shrapnel and stitching him up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This reminds me of the first time I met you,” Alice said as she was working.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason huffed out a laugh at that. “Oddly similar,” he agreed. “Glad I met you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled widely even though Jason couldn’t see because she was wearing a surgical mask. “I’m glad I met you too. Even if you are being a bit of a belligerent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason chuckled a bit at that. They both turned their attention to the phone that was going berserk on the table beside the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you gonna… get that?” Alice asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, probably not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re probably just worried about you,” she said as she tied off another stitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah well they can go-” Jason was interrupted by the phone starting to ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice glanced at the caller ID. “It’s Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason sighed and picked up the phone, “Hey, what’s going on, someone dying?” Jason asked. Alice rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Jason, we have all been worried sick after you just wandered off during the mission, We reviewed the tapes and saw that you had been injured quite badly. Are you alright my dear boy?” Alfred asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine Alfie, I swear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You most certainly are not. I demand you come back to the cave at once for some proper medical attention.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alfred, seriously, it’s not bad, I took care of it fine, just finishing up the stitches now, hence why I didn’t answer any of Wingding’s frantic text messages.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred was silent on the other end for a moment. “You will text me in the morning, before noon, to let me know you are still okay. Then, sometime this week you will come to the cave so that I may examine your work and ensure you are in good health. If you promise me this, then, and only then, will I tell Master Dick and Master Bruce to stop searching through all of your safe houses in the city.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alfred, you’re being-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I will have none of that. Do we have a deal, or will you be getting a visit from the Bat this evening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, okay fine, I’ll text you and I’ll come over sometime later, but I don’t want to see anyone else while I’m there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfectly fine, Master Jason. It will be just myself in the house from 1pm to 4pm on Wednesday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll be there. Bye Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye Master Jason, do not forget to text.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason put down his phone and groaned. “Why does that man have to be so persuasive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed a little at him, “Because it’s been working?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued to work on him well after he drifted off. She managed to put an IV in without waking him up, so she figured she was okay to keep working on his other injuries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So the next morning, Jason woke up because Alice’s phone alarm was going off, and he discovered that she had fallen asleep in the chair in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned off the alarm and said between yawns, “You should text Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she walked out of the room to go make tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason texted the family group chat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason: I am in fact alive. Stop texting me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick: Little Wing we were so worried, why did you just wander off like that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred: Thank you for informing us of your wellbeing Master Jason</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: Indeed Todd, that was a foolish decision, you could have bled to death and we would have been none the wiser.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: Not as if I would have cared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick: Aww! Dami!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Read by Tim and Bruce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason rolled his eyes at Tim and Bruce. If Jason didn’t know better, he would have said without a doubt that Tim was Bruce’s son, not Damian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to get up and felt a pang of pain go through his body. So he settled back in instead. Alice brought him a cup of tea and some toast with peanut butter on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t try to go moving around yet. Maybe tomorrow, but for now just… relax.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ate breakfast together and Alice told him all the things that were wrong with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So last night your heart rate dropped like a lot and I honestly thought you were dying for a few seconds, but then I figured out that the machine had sort of come unplugged. I gave you about 50 stitches, the worst injury was the one on your left arm. A piece went through and through but left some really small pieces left behind, so I had to pick those out. Luckily you slept through everything so I didn’t need to give you anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was a little surprised, he was usually a light sleeper, but he was pleased that he wasn’t conscious for some of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So basically please try not to use that arm for anything for like… three weeks?” At Jason’s face, she elaborated. “It’s going to hurt really bad, and you’d be at risk of detaching your bicep, which I am not confident in my ability to fix.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason sighed, “Fucking bombs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled a little at that. “Can I ask you something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who does all of the vigilante medical stuff? Like you guys do have an actual doctor you go and see right? It’s not just Alfred?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all go see Dr. Leslie Thompkins. She has a clinic in Crime Alley and she’s known Bruce and Alfred for forever. She and Bruce have not been very friendly recently because she helped Stephanie fake her death, but…” Jason shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And she knows who you all are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but we can trust her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded. “How would you feel if I got to know her a little?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care, but why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, there might come a time when I need extra hands, or she needs extra hands. I just thought I would see what she’s all about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shrugged and then winced, “She might be able to get you some more supplies too if you tell her about… this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you be okay with that? I kinda thought you wanted this to be on the down-low.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I trust her, completely, like you. So do whatever you want, just let me know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded. “Are you still hungry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m good. Can I take out this IV?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave it for another day. You had not insignificant blood loss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry I worried you,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re okay, I had you.” She said it with such confidence, and Jason believed her completely. “You should sleep some more if you can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was a little tired, “Yeah, okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re not up by the time I go to work, I’m starting at 8 and I’m done at 5.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, thanks, Ali.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have a good sleep, Jay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jason woke up, it was morning again. He could hear Alice moving around in the kitchen. She came in with some food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey sleepyhead,” she said teasingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have I been out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Basically 24 hours. It’s Tuesday if you’re wondering.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and Jason froze, she had a huge bruise on the side of her face, and it was clear that someone had punched her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alice, what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled a little to reassure him, “Just a violent patient. It was fine, it actually doesn’t hurt that much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just some Penguin thug,” Alice said with a shrug. “I made eggs. I don’t know if they’re any good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason didn’t want to accept her change of subject, he wanted to be mad about her getting hurt. But there was nothing he could do about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had some of the food, “It’s good, thanks, Alice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that day, Alice took out the IV line and helped him move around a bit more. “Do you think you’ll be okay to go see Alfred tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine, I’m just stiff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to be careful not to tear any of the stitches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t, Jason looked down at his leg and realized that he’d been walking around in his boxer briefs since she had stripped out of his suit. He also realized that he hadn’t felt uncomfortable at all like he usually did when his scars were on full display. He also noticed Alice’s very neat stitches that he had yet to receive an ugly scar from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jay? You’re obviously thinking something negative, so whatever it is, stop. I have something far better to think of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head and chuckled slightly, “And what would that be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s your birthday coming up. What do you want to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason blinked at her, “Is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed a little but he could tell it was masking concern. “Yeah, it’s August 2nd. You didn’t hit your head, did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, it’s not that, I just… forgot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled and touched his shoulder lightly, “Well, if you want to do something, I don’t really know what, but you know… birthday stuff, let me know, I’ll book the day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded. “I… we haven’t really talked about this, but how do you feel about me talking about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice looked confused, “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’d love to introduce you to Roy and Kori.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice blinked, “Oh, yeah, I’d love to meet them.” She was smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next day brought Jason’s visit to Alfred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Jason, it is very good to see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you too, Alf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, let me take a look at you, Master Jason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason allowed Alfred to inspect the worst of his wounds. “Well I must say, I do not understand how you managed to clean all this up yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason stared at Alfred for a moment, wanting to keep Alice to himself, but he had so much to tell the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alfred, I met this woman, a Doctor, she’s been- well, I’ve been living with basically and she’s- well she’s the one who did all this and- I really like her, she’s great- don’t tell Bruce because I- well, I completely trust her, and I kinda told her everything- but really she’s great- I want to date her Alfred, but it’s strange because I sleep in her guest room and I don’t know how to start- and even if I did, can I even get married, like, I’m legally dead and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Jason!” Alfred snapped. Jason froze. “What on Earth are you going on about?” Jason swallowed. “Allow me to make some tea, and then we will discuss this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Alfred and Jason sat down with afternoon tea, and Jason told Alfred everything. How he met Alice, how they were basically living together, how much he really wanted to ask her out on a date but felt weird about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Master Jason, it seems you have been doing very well for yourself,” Alfred said with a gleam in his eyes. “And you will never know what Doctor Harrison may say until you ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if she says no, and I can’t see her anymore? I don’t really know if I can handle losing someone who’s been… really good for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred took Jason’s hand, “Master Jason, if she did not want you around, she would not have allowed you to move into her home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I’m just a little scared that she’s afraid of me,” Jason admitted quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my boy, if she truly has been spending this much time around you, I find it hard to believe that she would reach that conclusion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded, “I… thanks, Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will call if you need anything, won’t you?” He asked. Jason knew it was an unspoken threat to stay in touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will, see you around Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye Master Jason.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wedding bells, Batman smells.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, I am so sorry, I have been neglecting this story, but I'm back and I think it's reasonable to expect one or two more chapters to come out this week, so stay tuned!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jason, over the many months that followed, never brought up Alice again. Until a relatively cold day in February when Jason came to the manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just Alfred home that day, so he was surprised when someone knocked at the door, but was very pleased when he saw Jason wearing a nice suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Jason, you look very sharp today. I am glad to see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alfred, are you free today?” Jason asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, yes, I do suppose. Master Richard is picking Damian up from school, and Master Bruce took himself and Master Timothy to work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great, want to help me out with something?” Jason asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, my boy. Shall I change?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure, just a suit though, no need for a tux,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred went to change and he sent a message to the other members of the family, telling them to fend for themselves for the evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Alfred got into Jason’s car. “Now, Master Jason. Please do tell me what you have planned for this afternoon and evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled widely. “Well, Alf. Two things. First of all, I’m reinstating myself as a legal, living person. And I need two witnesses, so I was hoping you could be one of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred was overjoyed, “Of course, Master Jason, I would be delighted. And, pray tell, what is the second?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason got a fuzzy feeling throughout his body as he said the words. “I’m getting married.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred blinked for a moment. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to pardon these old ears. I don’t believe I heard you correctly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting married, Alfred. To Alice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Doctor you had told me about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred was tearing up, “Congratulations, my boy. I must say, I wasn’t confident in your ability to ask her on a date, let alone to marry you, but I am very proud.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason began to laugh, “She asked me.” Alfred looked confused for a moment. “She asked me on the date, and she proposed.” Jason laughed again. “She’s… god I don’t deserve her, but she loves me and who am I to tell her no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I am very glad to hear it, Master Jason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason then fell silent, “I know this might be a lot to ask, but I don’t really want Bruce to find out about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred was silent for a moment, “While I do not understand why you believe that Master Bruce would react poorly to this delightful news, I will keep this to myself until you are ready to tell the rest of the family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Alfie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrived at the courthouse and Jason spotted Alice right away. She was wearing a simple white dress, and she was standing with none other than Roy Harper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice took a step toward Alfred. “Hi, I’m Alice. I’ve heard so much about you, it’s really nice to meet you.” She held out her hand, but Alfred went straight in for a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dear, the pleasure is all mine,” Alfred said. He blinked back tears as he spoke. “Thank you so much for keeping my boy safe and healthy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed softly, “Well, he’s not too bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They parted and Alice grabbed Jason’s hand. He kissed her cheek and looked at Roy. “Thanks for coming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t miss it,” Roy said with a cheeky grin. “Kori is really sad she couldn’t make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason waved him off, “Don’t worry about it, she’s got bigger fish to fry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roy chuckled and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice leaned into Jason and smiled at Alfred, “I’m sorry, this is so strange, I feel like I know everything about you and we’ve only just met.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason checked his watch, “Well, we’ll have lots of time to talk over dinner. We should get going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked into the courthouse and the process got started. First was to change Jason’s legal status from deceased to alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken a considerable amount of bribery beforehand to get the judge to agree to keep everything he saw to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Jason Wayne got married.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred nearly cried, Roy cried a lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went out to a very nice restaurant for dinner where Alfred was the embarrassing father-figure that Jason always knew he had the potential to be. “And then the poor boy was so convinced that the raccoon was going to get in through the chimney that he stayed up all night on the roof and got hypothermia,” Alfred said with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason groaned. “Listen, I thought it was my fault for eating up there and I didn’t want to make a mess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was laughing so hard it was silent. “But- why couldn't you just cover-” She couldn’t finish. She was clutching her chest as she tried to control herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind, I want a divorce,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice leaned her head on his shoulder, still laughing hysterically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After dinner, they went back to Alice and Jason’s apartment. They had bought the apartment above theirs and in his free time, Jason had been renovating the hell out of both places. He took out the ceiling over the kitchen and the living room to make it like a penthouse. He had added a hidden room in the upstairs to put his gear. He had also added another guest room that wasn’t full of medical supplies and had generally updated everywhere else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roy and Kori came over every once in a while to help out. The last time they had, the night ended in so much drinking that Alice woke up being spooned by Kori in her bed while Jason woke up in the bathtub and Roy woke up on the roof.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh, you finished the ceiling thing,” Roy said and pointed to the ceilings in the kitchen/living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it was a bitch to get done, but it’s so much nicer like this,” Jason said. He gave Alfred a tour of the place while Roy and Alice got out some snacks and drinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They played cribbage and poker for a few hours, and then it was getting late. Roy was heading out and Alfred took his leave as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Jason, I am very glad you brought me to this momentous occasion. I very much like your choice of bride,” Alfred said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled tearfully. “Thanks Alfie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred looked at Alice. “Thank you as well, for keeping this boy safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled and blushed. “You’re welcome. It’s been really nice getting to know you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Likewise, my dear. Very much so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few months after the wedding and no one else in the family knew about Jason's recent personal development. Until Damian got into a fight with Bruce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: Todd. Where is your location?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason: Who’s asking?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: I am clearly the one asking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason: Why?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason watched as Damian was typing and then not typing and then typing and then not typing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: I got into a fight with father and Grayson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: If possible, I would like to be able to stay within one of your safe houses for a night or two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason looked at Alice, who was reading a medical journal. “Hey, do you mind if Damian comes over? He's apparently had a rough night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled a little, “Yeah, of course. You know you don’t have to ask, right? This is your house too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled warmly, “Alright. He’s coming over then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweet, I’ll make hot chocolate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason: Here’s the address. Come in through the second from the top, the leftmost window on the south face of the building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian: Thank you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian arrived not too long after. Jason was waiting beside the open window as Damian slipped in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Todd, thank you for… disclosing your location. You did not need to be here yourself. A place to sleep would have sufficed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head slightly. “This isn’t a safe house kid, this my home. No one wants to be alone when they’re upset. You gotta keep everything you see here a secret though, okay? No Bruce, no Dick, no Tim, nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason stepped aside a little to reveal more of the apartment, and Damian instantly saw the movement of Alice in the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damian, do you like marshmallows?” She called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian turned to Todd with accusing eyes. He had come in his Robin suit, yet the woman knew his name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax Baby Bat, she already knows everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And who is </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> exactly?” Damian snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s my wife. Her name is Alice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian stared at Jason for a moment with narrowed eyes. “And you were not going to inform the rest of the family that you had told a civilian our secret? Let alone got married?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” Jason said casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian huffed, “Imbecile.” He turned as Alice put three mugs of hot chocolate on the table nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on kid, sit down, tell us your woes,” Jason said as he went to sit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason and Alice sat next to each other while Damian sat across from them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. My minor issues are not </span>
  <em>
    <span>woes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, whatever. What’s going on?” Jason asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may have used… excessive force… on some criminals this evening. Father and Grayson were not pleased, even though I expressed that I had not at the time realized my blows had been too aggressive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, and what did B say? You know he’s not the best at this sort of thing,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am aware,” Damian snapped. “It is not what he said that… upset me. It is rather what Grayson said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason’s shoulders became a bit tenser. “And what did he say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian looked genuinely upset. “He said… that it may have been a mistake to make me Robin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was now furious, he was about to tell Damian not to listen to that ass, but Alice beat him to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a Dick,” she scoffed. “It was a mistake, and you said as much. There’s nothing wrong with that, and they were mean to say those things to you. Both of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Jason said easily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian looked back and forth between the two of them with a little surprise. “I just assumed that father was on edge, so to speak, because mother has been keeping a closer eye on me these days. What irked me, and caused me to leave, was Grayson’s actions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice and Jason shared a look, Jason raised an eyebrow questioningly, Alice nodded and Jason stood from the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I gotta go do something real quick. Can you stay here with Alice? Maybe get some sleep, or there are leftovers if you’re hungry or movies or whatever. Stay as long as you want, okay Baby Bat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “And what exactly are you going to go do, Todd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna go punch Goldie in the face and tell him he’s still the same asshole I remember him being when I was a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian looked confused but made no indication that he didn’t want Jason to go and do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you hungry? Because I can heat some stuff up if you’d like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I am fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence, listening as Jason went up the stairs to the newly added loft/second floor and suited up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice pecked him on the cheek before he left, and then it was just the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you seem to be a reasonably competent woman. What has attracted you to the most foolish member of my family?” Damian asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I found Jason unconscious in a bush-” Damian snorted “-and as it turns out he’s actually very nice and also very smart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you… in the vigilante business?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m a doctor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian seemed to connect a few dots. “Ah, Pennyworth was saying something about Todd’s new and improved stitching skills, but that was you, wasn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that was me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian swallowed, “Well then, I must thank you. Todd often leaps without looking, I am aware that he is injured more than the rest of us and… do not inform him of this, but it would be a shame to lose him again. I am glad that he has you here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled, “Aww, that was sweet!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. It was no such thing!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason pulled up to the cave where Bruce and Dick were having a conversation about a case with Tim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick turned with a slightly worried smile. “Jason, it’s good to see you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason didn’t answer, “Do you know where Damian is right now?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all froze and Bruce growled. Tim, the more level headed one, spoke. “Do you? Because he ditched all his trackers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was silent for a moment, “Tim, you should go upstairs,” Jason suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim frowned. “Why? If you have info on Damian, I want to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damian is fine, I’m here to yell at Bruce and Dickface.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim raised an eyebrow but stood and gathered his things with a: “Ah…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he, Jason?” Bruce grunted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never seen that kid so upset. He almost cried. Have you ever seen Damian cry?” Jason asked Bruce. His silence was an answer. “What about you, Dick, have you ever seen Damian cry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only once,” Dick said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, because he’s been trained since before he could walk to not cry. So do you two have any fucking idea how bad you upset him if he sat with me in my kitchen and almost cried?” Jason was absolutely livid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He went over the line and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, B!” Jason snapped. “Don’t you remember how I died? How I ‘went over the line’ and ran away?! How long would it have taken you to find him if he had run off and encountered someone who was going to kill him? Would you have gotten there in time?” Jason taunts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not the same and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason cut Bruce off by turning to Dick. “And I was honestly starting to buy your big-brother bullshit. How you just want to love everyone and how you weren’t ready when I was a kid but now you are and we should be best friends and all that shit!” Jason was now pacing as he lectured his family members. “But now I can see that you’re still the same piece of shit brother you were when we were younger. Timmy is never going to forgive you for taking Robin away from him, and now you’ve just traumatized Damian!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is not Richard’s-” Bruce tried to cut in to defend Dick. It did work, insomuch as it redirected Jason’s anger back to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you! </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are supposed to be the brat’s father, not Dick. And Damian </span>
  <em>
    <span>needs</span>
  </em>
  <span> a father. He doesn’t need another teacher that’s only going to tell him what he did wrong. That was all he had growing up! People putting him down! Why the hell do you think he has such a superiority complex now?! And you’re supposed to support him! He made a mistake and he felt bad about it! You’re supposed to forgive him and tell him it’s okay, not take away the only thing that he thinks you want him for, you idiot!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce was silent at that. Dick was the one who spoke up. “We want him for more than being Robin, he knows that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he doesn’t. Because if he did, he wouldn’t have run to me, someone who has literally tried to kill him. And even if he did know that. This little display of stupid emotional constipation would have made him reconsider.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick was clearly upset, “I… I didn’t mean to-to threaten to take Robin away, I was just scared, Jason. You didn’t see how he was moving, how upset he was with those men, he would have killed them if Bruce and I hadn’t intervened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s no excuse.” Dick looked at Jason with confusion, and so did Bruce. “If he had accidentally killed them, what would you have done? Would you have screamed and yelled at him? Would he have been kicked out of the family? Sent to Arkham? Because newsflash! Even if he did kill them, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> would have been your job to comfort him. To deal with his complicated history of murder. To tell him that you don’t hate him forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of Jason’s advice had come from his own experiences with Bruce, something that Bruce clearly wasn’t missing, but Dick definitely was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d never hate my son,” Bruce said, looking Jason dead in the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason’s face turned to disgust. “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Dick’s eyes widened as things started to click. “He’s staying with me until he decides to go. You assholes are going to give him space, and you better think up something to say, because if he ever comes to me looking like that again, Damian killing people is going to be the last thing you’ll be worrying about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason returned to the apartment to find that both Alice and Damian had fallen asleep to a nature documentary. He picked up the kid first and took him to the bedroom upstairs that was across from his and Alice’s room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Todd? What did they say?” Damian asked sleepily as he burrowed under the covers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They recognized they were idiots and said you can stay here as long as you like,” Jason said. It was… basically the truth?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian hummed, slightly surprised. “Todd… I like your wife. You should keep her around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled, “I will, I like her too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Todd.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Night, Damian.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason then went and picked up Alice and took her into their room. She was dead asleep, so Jason tucked her in and then went to bed himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he woke up in the morning, he was the first up. Alice was still asleep beside him, and a peek into the door across the hall revealed that Damian snored like a baby dragon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he set to work making a nice breakfast for everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice was next to come down. “Morning Jay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning,” he replied. “Everything went okay last night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s a great kid. I think he likes me. Maybe begrudgingly, but still,” Alice said with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did your confrontation go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason looked away for a moment to hide his reaction, and then remembered that he could trust Alice. He let her see his uncertainty. “I’m not sure.” He groaned. “Everything would be easier if Bruce would actually use words instead of grunting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. You should ask Drake for the spreadsheet he made that has the approximate meanings of father's most common grunts. It has been illuminating,” Damian said he walked down the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed at that, it even gave Jason a good laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ve made waffles and eggs and sausage, beef, if you were wondering,” Jason added for Damian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian nodded and helped himself, then Alice did and Jason ate the rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason drove Damian to school on his motorbike and said he’d pick him up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He and Alice enjoyed their day as they usually did, taking a walk in the park near the harbour, reading for a bit, then they painted one of the rooms that Jason had recently constructed. They were going to make it a proper library, which Jason was very excited about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Jason left to pick up Damian while Alice tried her hand at some baking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason returned home to find several perfect baked goods and he raised an eyebrow at her. “Okay, fine, you caught me, I bought these from the Italian center,” Alice admitted with a grin. “I may have absolutely destroyed my batch of cookies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason rolled his eyes and looked to Damian, “This is why I never let her cook.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. Very much like Grayson then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason grinned. “So, what should we do tonight? We could go see a movie, or… I don’t know, a movie was the only thing that I could think of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice hummed, “What’s out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a new James Bond, or there’s a Star Wars one too I think,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They glanced at Damian, “I despise Star Wars, we shall view this James Bond.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So they went to James Bond, and then spent the entire time they were out at dinner listing all the things that were wrong with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would not survive a fall off of a bridge like that,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A good sniper definitely should have been able to take that shot,” Jason supplied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does only one villain ever attack the protagonist at the same time? There were ten of them, they certainly should have at least attacked in teams of two,” Damian said with a scoff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They left the diner and walked back to the apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice turned on the nature show that she and Damian had fallen asleep to the night before so they could finish it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it was done, it was late, but not for the night-shift doctor or the two vigilantes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want to go on patrol with me, or sleep a little?” Jason asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian was considering it. “I do not wish to interact with father or Grayson.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason grinned. “Well you’ve come to the right place, I too actively avoid the others on patrol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice did a little cleaning while they were out and had some hot drinks ready when they came back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian stayed with them for two more days before his anger at Dick and Bruce subsided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was there when the two buffoons apologized, and he was impressed with it, so he made no fuss about losing the little punk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll miss him, he was adorable,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason rolled his eyes, “He’ll stab you if you say that to his face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed a little and leaned into Jason’s side. “You know… you’d be a great father, Jason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason looked down at her with a confused smile. “I… I don’t know about that. I mean, I haven’t exactly had great examples.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That just means you know exactly what not to do,” Alice pointed out. “You think I would be a bad mother because I didn’t have a good example?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head immediately. “No, Alice, you’re going to be an amazing mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how do you know?” Alice prompted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you’re the best person I know,” Jason answered right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> the best person </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> know,” Alice said just as easily. She pecked him on the cheek. “Just think about it, we’re still young.” She stood up and stretched her arms over her head. “I’m going to go to sleep,” she said with an accompanying yawn. “Love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you too, Ali,” Jason said.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to everyone who has kudoed and left comments on this story! It means a lot and I love to hear what you guys think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Damian has the flu. A family dinner is had. Cass is an adorable ninja baby.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It took a hot minute, but I'm finally pleased with this chapter. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Damian was sick. He had the flu. He had been determined to avoid the symptoms of the illness, but on a Friday night, his fever went higher than Bruce would have wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Master Bruce. Perhaps you should take the young sir to the hospital,” Alfred suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t we just call Leslie?” Bruce asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Bruce, it is very late. I don’t oppose us bothering her for matters of life or death, but for the flu? Perhaps Gotham General will suffice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. Yes, Gotham General. We shall go there,” Damian said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce sighed and held Damian tighter as he picked him up. “Okay, I’ll take him there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce drove them to Gotham General and the nurse who checked them in gave them a wary look. It was 3 in the morning in Gotham, so it was needless to say that the emergency room wasn’t filled with the pillars of society.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come with me, Mister Wayne. We’ll get the head of the ER to come take a look at your son,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need any special treatment,” Bruce said. “We can wait.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled tightly. “No offence, Mr. Wayne, but your outreach program pays half the salaries in this place, I’d rather not risk having you out there with half the disgruntled criminals of the city.” She led them to a room farther back. “Dr. Harrison will be with you in a moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Bruce said. He set Damian up on the examination table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce was expecting an older man, so when Alice walked in, a young woman, he was taken aback for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Mr. Wayne, and Mr. Wayne the younger. I’m Dr. Harrison, but you can call me Alice,” she introduced. She smiled a little at Damian, who seemed to relax at her presence, which was highly unusual for Damian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Dr. Harrison, Damian seems to have the flu. His fever was 103.4, but I should say that I’ve never seen him above a 98.5.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded. “Of course. Well, it’s no worries. I’ll take your temperature and we’ll do a bit of blood work just to make sure that it’s actually the flu and that you haven’t been dosed with anything because that’s always a bit of a concern. Then we’ll see how bad the symptoms are and I can see what medication we can get you on.” She had turned her attention to Damian right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sniffled a little, “That is acceptable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice touched his arm gently and Bruce frowned. “You’ll be alright, I know it feels really bad right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. I am aware, but… thank you regardless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled a little at that and got to work. She took his temperature and Bruce watched her like a hawk. There was something off about the way that her and Damian were interacting. It actually worried Bruce a little. Exactly how much had the fever taken Damian out of reality?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian would never tell anyone, Bruce could tell through body language whenever it was necessary, but Damian was afraid of needles. So when he hardly tensed up when Alice inserted the needle for the blood draw, Bruce’s suspicions were confirmed. Damian was barely mentally functioning. The fever must have gotten worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alice left the room briefly to take the blood to the lab, Bruce turned to Damian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are you feeling, Damian?” Bruce asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy shrugged, “Unchanged.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay so I’ve ordered a rush on those results, it’ll probably take about an hour. I’d recommend you stay here until then. Damian, feel free to lay down and rest for a bit, I’ll come in a few times and check your temperature,” Alice said. She turned to look at Bruce. “I assume you’re feeling well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’m fine. But I’m worried about-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Harrison,” another doctor spoke as they came into the room. “Do you have a moment? There’s a big trauma coming in. Five men, multiple GSW’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Alice asked. The man looked at Damian and Bruce, but when Alice looked at him expectantly, he continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Red Hood busted a child smuggling ring,” the man said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice nodded, “It won’t be pretty then. Is Crystal on tonight?” Alice asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before they get here, send her home, this’ll upset her. Let me handle any of the rowdy ones and don’t let Jacobson in the ER, send him up to Peds, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, “Okay.” He turned and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled back at Bruce. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes.” She then left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, she was back, though, she now had a bit more blood on her than she did before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, the lab is on fire today and the results are just the common flu. So I’ll give you a prescription for something that’ll lower the fever and also something that might help with your nausea.” She looked Damian in the eye. “You’re going to feel better, might even feel a little back to normal, but you won’t be, not for another week or so. So try to avoid strenuous activities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Damian grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce quite pleased with Dr. Harrison, she had eased his worries considerably, and the fever reducers should get Damian firmly back into the realm of his prickly personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alice got home that night, the first thing she did was locate Jason in their apartment. He was punching the bag they installed in a training room upstairs. His knuckles were a bloody mess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jason,” she said from the doorway. He paused and turned to look at her. “Are you okay? I heard what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” Jason shook his head. “I wanted to kill them, so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped in cautiously. This was his space, she never came up there, just like how he didn’t really come into her office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “If it’s any consolation, we got them at the hospital, and I can say for sure that none of them are ever gonna forget what’ll happen if they do that again.” Jason swallowed and nodded. She took one of his hands, “Come downstairs, let me look at this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched her bandage him up. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice frowned, “Don’t be sorry. You have every right to be upset. I don’t even want to know what I would do if I saw something like that. You showed a lot of restraint tonight, more than anyone had any right of asking for. I think that was very strong of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason blushed a little. “Thanks. That… that means a lot to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Alice said with a small smile. She kissed his cheek. “So Bruce came into my ER tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason frowned. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s fine. He brought Damian because he had a high fever. Just the flu, but he’ll be out for a week or two. Poor little guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded, “I’m surprised Bruce took him and not Dick or Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He actually looked worried,” Alice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason frowned as Alice started giving him a look. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you should go to one of those dinners that Alfred and Dick and Tim are always inviting you to,” Alice suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason made a face. “I think that that’s just one of those things you do to be polite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice shook her head. “No, Jason, I do think that they want you there. At least do it for Alfred, you know he misses you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason narrowed his eyes at her. “I don’t know what you and Alfred are plotting, but I do know it was a bad idea to give him your phone number.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason found himself going to dinner at the manor the next week. </span>
  <span>Alfred had everything set, all the expected boys were there. Tim had come in from San Francisco, Dick had come in from Bludhaven, and Alfred had convinced Bruce and Damian to take the evening off. They were all chatting as they moved toward the dining room, but they froze when the doorbell rang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who's that?" Tim asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred's face was hopeful. "Perhaps it's Master Jason. Sit down, I will see."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The others went and sat down, and Alfred went to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason was standing there a bit awkwardly. “Hey Alfred, sorry I’m a little late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all, Master Jason, in fact, you’re right on time,” Alfred said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would’ve called ahead, but my decision to come was a little last minute,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m very glad you could make it, my dear boy,” Alfred said. “Is your lovely wife not joining you?” He asked with a glint in his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head, “I don’t really… want everyone to know just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred sighed. “Very well, Master Jason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason and Alfred entered the dining room. Everyone was very surprised to see him. Bruce, in particular, didn’t take his eyes off of Jason for nearly the entire meal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jason!” Dick chirped. “It’s good to see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Jason waved him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ate dinner in relative silence until Tim spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So uh… Jason, that was really good work on that trafficking case in the Bowery the other day, I saw the files, you did really good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Bruce and Jason glared at Tim for different reasons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really aching for your approval Timbers,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell into an even more awkward silence until Dick asked about something that Jason had forgotten about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jay… why do you have a wedding ring on?” Dick asked with a wry grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason froze and looked down at his hand where he had indeed accidentally not taken his ring off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… uh… it’s for a deep cover. Just forgot to take it off,” Jason said. Everyone could clearly tell that he was lying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you didn’t get married to Roy, did you?” Tim asked with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick looked like his eyes were about to bulge out of his head. “Good one Tim, Jason and Roy aren’t-” he stopped when he saw the grin on Jason’s face. “I mean… wait. You are?! And he didn’t tell me?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dickiebird, listen. Roy and Kori and I… we’ve had some good times, some good nights, some good days, but no. Roy and I are not engaged, and in fact, I am not engaged to anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce seemed unconvinced. Tim and Dick were mostly disgusted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jason that was way too much information,” Tim groaned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shrugged with a shit-eating grin. “What? You’re telling me that you and your alien boy-toy haven’t had some good times with Wonder Girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim went beet red and Dick turned to him in shock. Dick then turned to Jason, “Stop talking about threesomes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce was trying to take deep, calming breaths. Alfred was smiling at the spectacle the brothers were putting on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Holy hypocrite Batman!” Jason mocked. “You’ve slept with half of the Titans, Dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick blushed this time, “No… not half .”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah Jason, at least three quarters,” Tim chimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason nodded at Tim approvingly, “You’re absolutely right, Timbers, at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian then turned to Grayson inquisitively, “I am surprised, Grayson, I did not take you for a… whore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Water came out of Jason’s nose as Tim began to scream-laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not a- Who taught Damian that word?” Dick demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tt. I am excellent with vocabulary, Grayson. I simply assumed by Todd and Drake’s behaviour that you are, what some would consider, a whore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick was sputtering, trying to get Damian to stop calling him a whore while Jason and Tim started their hysterical laughter all over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well if Dick’s a whore, then what does that make Bruce?” Jason asked Damian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian put some serious thought into it before he replied. “Well, I do suppose father would fit into the definition of a whore as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s enough,” Bruce grunted. “Change the subject.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so when it’s you that’s being proclaimed a whore then you step in. But when it’s me-” Dick was cut off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might I suggest we have dessert?” Alfred interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finished eating, Tim brought the topic of conversation back to the start. “So, Jason. You never really answered the question. Why are you wearing a wedding ring?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damian glanced at Jason, he was surprised that Jason hadn’t mentioned his wife yet, but if he wanted to keep his secret, then Damian would not reveal it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shrugged with a small smile. “Someone put a ring on it.” Jason stood and began to leave. “Anyway, thanks for dinner Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred stood and walked Jason to the door. “You really should bring Doctor Alice to the next family dinner,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled a little. “I… I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, do say hello to her for me,” Alfred said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will. See you around, Al.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Master Jason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night, when Jason returned from patrol, he told her about the dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, maybe I should come along next time,” Alice said with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… yeah, I think that’d be nice,” Jason said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice stretched, “I’m just gonna grab a glass of water. Do you want anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m good,” Jason said as he changed into his pyjama pants. Alice stole his shirt and put it on top of her spandex shorts and bralette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked into the kitchen and noticed the figure standing in the dark right away, but she also recognized them right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice took a small step forward. “Hey… Cass, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Alice asked quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jason?” Alice called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason came out of their room and turned on the lights. He blinked when he saw Cass standing there without her mask on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cass? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, but then held out her arm that had a fairly deep slash on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice and Jason shared a concerned look on their faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Cass. My name's Alice, and I’m a doctor. Will you let me look at that?” Alice asked as she approached Cass. </span>
  <span>The girl smiled slightly and held out her arm for Alice to look at. “Okay, come over here, we have a medical room. I’ll give you some stitches and I’m sure you’ll fit into some of my clothes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass followed her into the room and Jason leaned in the doorway watching. “Cass, who did this to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass looked away from Alice cleaning the wound to look up at Jason. “Accident,” Cass said quietly. “Roof… sharp metal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have all your shots up to date?” Alice asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass nodded. “Yes, tetanus bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice smiled a little at that. “It sure is, Cass.” She took out a small syringe of a numbing agent. “Are you hungry at all? Jason can make us something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass nodded. “Good cook.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason smiled, “Alright, I’ll get us all a snack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice started on the stitches and quickly enough she was done. “Okay, all done. It shouldn’t leave much of a scar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass smiled and hugged the slightly older woman. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… you’re welcome. You can come by anytime you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass shook her head. “Not for…” she gestured to her arm. “Jason. Safe with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice blushed a little at that. “Right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Married?” Cass asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, for about five months now, I think,” Alice said. Cass hummed happily. “I’ll go get you some clothes to change into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alice came back, Cass was sitting in the kitchen watching Jason cook some late-night chicken wings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you go Cass, they might be a little big on you, but it’ll probably be more comfortable than sleeping in the suit,” Alice said. She handed the girl a neatly folded pile of a t-shirt, hoodie, shorts and sweatpants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass took them and skipped off to get changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason sighed, “At this rate, there’s not going to be anyone left to surprise at the next dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice rolled her eyes. “You’re not thinking about this long-term, Jason. How mad do you think Bruce’ll be if everyone knew except for him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason grinned. “Who are you that is so wise in disturbing the peace?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice playfully smacked his arm before stealing a chicken wing. She hummed, “These are really good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cass came back out with a gleeful smile on her face. “So fuzzy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alice laughed a little and Jason grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, I gotta ask,” Jason started later when they were all sitting around the table eating. “How did you know about this place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Talked to Tim. Said… you had a ring and were being… odd,” Cass said. “I followed you on patrol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason sighed. “I thought someone was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just too good,” Cass said with a strange, sassy intonation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jason shook his head as Alice chuckled. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Stephanie and Barbara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night Cass stayed in the guest room. She was gone when they woke up in the morning, but she left a note in scratchy handwriting.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I won’t tell :)</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, thank you all so much for the awesome comments you've been leaving! I always love to hear what you think of the chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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